The Cupcake Theory
by cute.sadistic.chibi
Summary: AU. Because the only way to keep her from sinking her fangs into his neck was to give what she wanted. And what she wanted were cupcakes. -SakuNeji-
1. Chapter 1: strawberry razzle dazzle

**Just a little 5 chapter side story while I work on the next chapter for Blackout. I'm writing little by little everyday haha, which is taking a rather long time.**

**This is based on the mini story from Paris je t'aime, which I loved. It's ****Quartier de la Madeleine, the one where Elijah Woods falls in love with that vampire lady. Though I **_really, really_ _hate_ **vampires ( I think they're so over played and stupid). The cupcake part comes from my celebration of my anniversary with my boyfriend *gush, gush* who gave me a giant cupcake mwahahaha.**

**Enjoy!**

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Strawberry Razzle Dazzle

_Strawberry flavored, with strawberry-vanilla frosting, And red cherry sprinkles_

**Day 8**

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He didn't know why he was doing this, it was so _beneath_ him. This was something a servant would do, not the grand Hyuga heir. But unfortunately for him, he couldn't afford to ask a servant to accomplish this nagging request without deflating his male pride or revealing the dark secret he kept hidden in his attic. What was that word Shikamaru used quite often? Oh right, troublesome. Everything was oh so troublesome. He wasn't the type to whine or moan about how cruel life was, but right now, he sort of felt like doing it. The only thing that was holding it all back was in overinflated ego. Which by the way was what landed him in this little predicament in the first place.

If only he kept his big mouth shut and just walked away, if only he minded his own damn business and just let the girl do her own thing. No, he had to go all chivalrous on her and protect her from those gangsters like the prideful knight in shiny armor that he was. He should have listened to her! Instead, he jumped right in and beat those men up with his fancy karate moves, earning him a few bruises here and there. What should have been a small rescue of a damsel in distress, turned out to be his biggest mistake.

They weren't gangsters or even mobsters, nope. They were something completely different. Something Hyuga Neji would have never thought of in a million years. What were they? Vampire hunters. Yes, that's right. _Vampire hunters_. Vampires as in those human leeches that suck people dry of their blood, and hunters as in people who shoot and kill things. These hunters were after the girl he was supposedly protecting. Why were they after her? Because she was a vampire. And of course, they automatically assumed he was a blood sucker too since he had defended her. But not just any old blood sucker, they thought _he_ was her _mate_.

Mate?!

He barely met the girl!

_Damn my stupidity, I should have just left the girl to deal with her own fate._

That was eight days ago.

Eight days since _she_ saved his sorry ass and dragged him away, at the cost of her leg. One of the hunters shot a silver arrow through her leg, which caused her to scream-no-shriek like a dying banshee right in his ear. Sometimes he could still feel his ears ringing. All that put him in a rather tough situation, he could either leave the girl/vampire to die of severe blood loss, or take her back to his place because he actually felt _guilty. _Seeing him struggle for his decision, she helped him out. With a feral growl and a bearing of long, canine fangs she threatened to bite his jugular out if he didn't take her to safety. Which he did. At _his_ house.

"Took you long enough."

Her sweet, sultry voice greeted his ears as he sneaked into his attic. It shouldn't even be called an attic; it was more like a room inside of the ceiling of his house. He shook his head, trying not to stare again and crossed the room in seconds and towered over her. As menacing as she could be, he was still a goof foot and an half taller than her petite form. Her sparkling emerald eyes gleamed in joy as he lifted the paper bag he was carrying and dropped in on her lap. What a servant should have done, but instead he did. He never wanted to step into that bakery shop ever again. Girls and women of all ages shrilled and squealed as they watched the handsome Hyuga buy a very girly looking cupcake. They swooned and cooed as he brushed past them; some even attempted to stop him for light conversation. He shuddered at the memoires.

As the pink haired vampire opened the bag and took out the baby blue box, she turned back to him and smiled. Pearly white fangs winked at him.

"Thanks Neji, you're the best."

"Hn."

"You know, do appreciate everything you've done for me. It's not every day a human would risk his life to save mine."

"Yeah, well don't expect it to happen again." He sat on the down on a dusty chair and looked out into the city through the crystal window.

He heard a smack of lips and a tiny munching noise from the behind him. She had just taken her first bite. Pink icing dabbed into her rosy lips and the corners of her mouth, tiny red sprinkles fell onto her lap as she pulled the tantalizing cupcake away. He dared to catch a glimpse at her from the corners of his eye, watching as she licked her lips slowly. Closing her eyes, she made a soft noise at the back of her throat as the contents slid down her throat. His mouth went dry at the sight; she looked like she was in ecstasy. And somewhere in the back of his clouded mind, he was silently cheering at himself because he knew he had helped her achieve this state, somewhat.

When she opened her eyes, he looked away, hoping he wouldn't get caught. Again. But she knew better, she always knew he was watching. And she reveled in it. It's been far too long since a man has looked at in her in anyways bedsides hate and fear. Too long since a man had earned and lusted for her. Maybe, if she was feeling adventurous, she'll indulge in him, but only if she could control herself.

"Neji, why don't you go out? Why do you stay at home when you could be out there with your friends?"

His shoulders moved up and down slightly, his way of shrugging.

"I prefer not to be in that company for the time being."

"Are you mad at them?"

"No, they go out to party and drink; I do not wish to partake in those events."

"Ah, I see."

She took another bite of her cupcake and savored the mouth watering flavor. Sweets and anything sugary were her only substitute for blood. Something she was craving, but couldn't get at the moment. _Someone_ didn't like the idea of her drinking and eating a human being. She said she'd do it outside, but he blandly refused. Despite how anti-social he was, he seemed to have a problem with her taking lives and feasting on people's flesh. It wasn't as if she left any evidence behind anyways, she always finishes everything and leaves nothing behind. But she couldn't complain, for the time being, while her leg slowly recovered, she nourished herself with cupcakes and cookies.

"So what are your plans for tonight then?"

"I suppose I will complete the business plans Hiashi-sama asked me to do, then work out for a bit."

"Wow, you live such an exciting life; I envy you in every way."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, "It's better than staying up here, eating cupcakes all night."

"Oh, would you prefer I sneak downstairs and eat your entire family instead? Because I can. God knows how long I can live on cupcakes alone."

His eyes narrowed at her grinning face, beautiful yes, bluffing no. He learned in the short times he spent with her that she was a force to be reckoned with. She held true to her threats if ever they were to be said. Besides being dangerous and cunning, vampires were a nuisance and probably harder to take care of then a regular, human baby. Especially this one. She was so demanding and stubborn he almost forgot she was one of the living dead.

"Anyways, I'm glad you actually listened to be for once. I was beginning to suspect you were deaf or something, you always got me the exact _opposite_ of the things I wanted."

"That was because they were always _out_."

"Whatever, this Strawberry Razzle Dazzle is delicious. Want a bite?"

"No thank you."

"Oh, right, I forgot. You don't like sweets, too bad for you."

She swiped some cream on her finger and brought it to her mouth, licking the icing with her caressing tongue and grinning at the way it irked him. He hated when she did that, she wanted to see his reactions, wanted him to act on his most primal male instincts. A seductress, she too was merely acting on natural instincts. But he was human, so his control would be quick to break. Luckily he was a disciplined man who knew his boundaries and knew what to do in situations like these. Even if she was a vampire, she was also a woman. And the best way to conquer your urges to take the gorgeous woman to bed is by simply _ignoring _her. But it was becoming rather difficult when every time he looked her way, she was doing something very risqué with her tongue and fingers.

"I'm bored."

Her soft, yet firm voice broke through the silence he was thoroughly enjoying.

"Then do something."

She sat up straighter in the cushioned chair and smiled at him.

"Let's talk."

He looked at her incredulously.

"I know you're the strong and silent type, but you've been sitting in here longer than you normally would have."

Now that he thought about it, he was lingering in here a tad bit longer than he normally would have. Usually he would drop of what she ordered and leave before she could say anything else besides a 'thank you.' So far, all he knew about this girl was her name and age. Haruno Sakura, 381. Maybe it wouldn't do him that much harm if he got to know her a little bit better than just assume she only put with him for food. What a leech.

"So can we?"

She was pouting with big, wide eyes that were begging for him to say yes. He'd be damned if he ever let her find out how cute he thought she looked right now. And she wasn't even using any of her vampire powers she supposedly had, she was just acting purely on femininity. A sigh escaped his lips as he nodded. She clapped her hands happily and tried to scoot the chair a little closer to him, though only managing to budge a few inches.

"Okay, let's talk about you, why are you such a frigid bastard?"

"Excuse me?"

"Just kidding! Anyways, I've been wondering, what exactly are the Hyuga's famous for?"

"We are an international business corporation, specializing in medical technology."

"Oh, like machines to manipulate DNA or body scanners?"

"Something like that."

"Is that what you're doing right now?"

"Yes, I am working on a business deal with the president of Hong Kong's top medical agency to bring our advance technology to their country."

Sakura smiled, "Human technology and advancement never ceases to amaze me, and just think; only a couple centuries ago I lived in a world with no health care or professional medical officials."

"It must have been a difficult life."

"It was. When you were sick, you died. You were injured, you died. People died from left to right because of their ignorance and misunderstandings. What they didn't know was that all these deaths could have been prevented if only they understood what was happening with the world."

"What was happening?"

"Change, the world was changing. But the general population back then was stubborn; they didn't embrace the shifts in strict traditions like others. The people who did accept this notion were quickly put to death in fear of a revolution, or worse; war."

Suddenly, Neji's interest peaked and he wanted to know more about her past. Perhaps he could learn a thing or two from his past generations mistakes and prevent something like that from happening again. Sakura sensed something change in his form and was quickly drawn to it. She seemed to have caught his attention, which put some excitement back into her life again.

"So tell me Neji, are you a traditional man? Do you like to follow rules and orders, or do you prefer to make them?"

"I guess you could say I'm a bit of both, though, I do enjoy being in control most of the time."

She grinned rather mischievously, "An orderly man I see, I must have thrown you off balance when I entered your bleak little life."

"Indeed you have, I'm not used to a woman as demanding and quick to temper as you."

"Have all the other females you've encountered been that submissive?"

"Only when I want them to be."

By now, the ebony haired man had crossed the room without even realizing it and was sitting at the chair opposite of her. He was slightly leaning into the arm rest while she was practically resting her elbow on the lamp table sitting between them. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a small horizontal scar at the corner of her left eye. It wasn't big or grotesque, but he had the sudden urge to touch it. She must have noticed his eyes on it because her tender looking fingers began to trace it gently.

"I got this on the night of the attack, despite what vampire legends are said, not all scars disappear."

"How did you get it?"

"My master gave it to me the night he made me a vampire."

"What happened?"

"It was a massacre, a bloody massacre that left my entire clan dead. No surviving members except me, sort of. Have you heard of the Haruno's before meeting me?"

He shook his head.

"I'm not surprised, my master and my enemies made sure to erase our names from history. Well, we were a very rich and prominent, highly respected clan. You could almost say we were royalty. We did help in the founding of Edo, or what you call today, Tokyo. Anyways, My father was a powerful, but kind Daimyo who always put his people's needs before his own. He was loved and cherished by everyone in the village, especially his wife and child."

She flicked a couple sprinkles off her black skirt and continued on, but with bitter eyes that Neji never failed to miss.

"However, not everyone shared this affection for him. You see, people knew I was an only child and they knew how protective my clan was of me. I was the heiress, a smart and strong _human_ who put others before myself. Something I picked up from my father…he taught me to forgive and forget, to never hold a grudge…but I'm afraid I failed to pick that lesson up. I've been holding my hate and anger for my master well over three centuries."

Her claw-like fingernails dug so hard into her skin, she didn't even realize blood was dripping down her wrist and arm. It was only until after the red liquid hit the table and the wood began to sizzle that she unclenched her fist. The smell of burning carcass and sulfur reached both their noses, but only Neji flinched back at the stench. It smelt inhuman, almost like death itself. He watched her pull back her hand and lick the wound, wiping the sticky red substance off her arm with her finger and putting it in her mouth. Only the dead could enjoy something that revolting.

"Sorry, guess I got too worked up in my little biography story."

"It's…alright."

Emerald eyes flickered back up to impassive pools of silver, and a hint of worry sketched over her face.

"Are you alright? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine."

"Is it that blood thing? It's the blood thing isn't it?"

"No, I have seen blood before, it does not bother me."

"Yeah, but have you seen it burn a hole through a table?"

He was about to say something when he heard his name being called from downstairs. It was some of the maids, dinner must be ready. He must have lost track of time while up here. But he shouldn't feel so surprised, being next to a vampire, a creature lost in time, everything must be going by so quickly. He turned back to her; she wasn't looking at him anymore. Instead, opted to stare out into the night sky, silently wishing for all her pain to disappear.

"You should go, we can continue our little story time tomorrow."

He nodded, and walked to attic door. As he stood in the open doorway, he looked over his shoulder and cleared his throat.

"What flavor would you like tomorrow?"

She smiled brightly, showcasing two sets of very pointy looking fangs, "Double chocolate fudge!"

Smirking, he left and closed the door behind him.

Maybe picking up cupcakes for a vampire wasn't so bad after all.

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5 **chapters only, not too long not too short. The flavors for each chapters are the same ones I got. And they are yummy :]**

**Ciao.**


	2. Chapter 2: double chocolate fudge

**This is probably my second favorite flavor, right behind vanilla. Yummy.**

**Enjoy**

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Double Chocolate Fudge

_Chocolate fudge flavored, with chocolate frosting, _

_and rainbow sprinkles_

**Day 13**

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It probably wasn't a very good idea to leave Sakura alone up in his attic for more than five days. But it wasn't his fault, really. There was an overload of work waiting for him back in the office. Apparently his lazy, good for nothing assistant, who was too busy scamming on girls half his age, forgot to mention that his business deal meeting with the president of Hong Kong's medical agency was coming up. So when he got the call that Tao, the president, and his financer's were on a nonstop flight to Japan, Neji immediately forgot about everything else and concentrated on gathering up all the information for his presentation as soon as possible.

By the time the _honorable_, as in _annoying_, guests had arrived; he was completely exhausted and worn out. But being a Hyuga, he couldn't let that show, and so, he but on his usual stoic face and proceeded with the meeting. Which lasted for over three days. In that time, the thought of a very hungry pink haired vampire living in the roof on his house completely slipped his mind. He just wanted to seal the deal and get on with his life. These Chinese business men were hard to impress to say the least, they were stubborn and relentless. The cantankerous president was unyielding and hardheaded as he let loose a stream of heavy questions that nearly knocked Neji right off his feet.

'Just sign the contract damn it!'

He was almost pushed into yelling that into the scowling man's face, but calmed down and reminded himself that in time, they will budge and sign the deal. They eventually did, after much convincing from a night of hard drinking and annoying sit through of bad karaoke. If his good pal Naruto hadn't made the suggestion of taking them out and loosening them up, he'd probably _still_ be in his office, banging his head against the walls as he listened to his now business partners' ranting. He'd have to thank the loud mouth blonde someday, but right now, he was just waiting in line to buy a cupcake. It would probably be best if he bought the largest one, despite how expensive it is, to make up to Sakura. There was a 99.9% chance she was going to maul him alive when he walks through that door.

"Neji?"

A familiar voice he would never forget, though he wished wasn't here right now. He knew that with her here, it was going to be another half hour before he would be able to leave. Being the polite person that he was, he turned around and nodded at his oldest friend.

"Tenten."

The brown haired woman smiled at him, "Long time no see."

"Likewise."

"What brings you here?"

Well, he certainly couldn't tell her about Sakura, she'd either;

**A**. _Laugh it off as some stupid joke_

**B**. _Think he was some lunatic and all the asylum_

**C**. _Or assume he was a closest pervert keeping an innocent girl locked in his attic_

He didn't enjoy lying, especially to his friends, but there was no other way to go around it.

"I'm…picking something up for Hanabi."

"Oh, that's nice of you, how is she?"

"Fine."

"That's good, and Hinata?"

"Fine as well."

"You know…"Her voice slightly lowered, and he took notice of this, "…I heard of her engagement to Naruto, and that they were planning to tell everyone tomorrow night. That's why they invited everyone to dinner at their place."

"Yes, I heard of that too."

"So, uh…"

Tenten was usually one to not hesitate on anything, especially when speaking her mind, so when he paused for a minute and bit her lips; he quirked an eyebrow and grew a little curious. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently for her to speak.

"…are you going?"

"Yes, we are family."

"Duh, of course," She laughed nervously, "Are you going with anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean as in like…a date?"

So this was that she wanted to ask him. Well, this was awkward, not the fact that a girl had asked him out for a date, but that _Tenten_ did. He'd always seen her more like a sister, rather than a potential girlfriend. Despite how close they were, and that they pretty much knew everything about each other; he could never harbor any other feelings besides kinship towards her. Now if only he could say all that without ruining their friendship and having her run out crying. Knowing his capacity for human emotion, there was a very _slim_ chance that _won't_ happen.

"I'm not exactly sure if I was planning to bring anyone, I assumed everyone would all arrive there themselves."

That probably wasn't the best thing to say, seeing as how Tenten's face instantly dejected and all the hope and happiness radiating from her suddenly faded. While it was already hard to connect with males his age, it was bloody (no pun intended) impossible to say _anything_ to the female population. He really wanted to say something, though he was pretty sure that would only worsen things. But before he could even open his mouth, she spoke before him.

"Oh, of course! Silly me, uh, anyways I just wanted to know…I might ask Lee to come with me and all. Just didn't want you to be there by yourself is all…"

He only had a chance to nod before she smiled one last time at him and quickly left the bakery. Great, his friendship with the brunette was probably flushed down the drain, not to mention the fact that the entire bakery shop just witnessed the little exposition. Honestly, do these women not understand the concept of privacy? He must have looked like the biggest jerk off in the entire world just now, not that it really mattered in all actuality. Opinions of strangers meant nothing to him and they stayed away from him after this, he wouldn't mind. After giving Sakura her life source, the double chocolate fudge cupcake, he was going to call Tenten and patch things up and telling her how he truly felt. Hopefully she won't hate him even more after this, unless she already did.

It was sad to say, dealing with humans was more difficult than dealing with a vampire.

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Before he even began to turn into the hall way that led to the attic, he heard loud banging, shrill and high pitched screeching and harsh scratching noises on the walls. That can't be good. That really can't be good if a vampire was doing all that with his _human_ relatives downstairs. He better get Sakura her food before she bust down the door and attack everyone on a feeding rampage. Just as he was about to turn the doorknob, everything went completely quiet. It was a bit strange, considering how loud she was just a second ago. He pressed his ear to the door and tried to hear what she was doing, but all he heard instead, and to his utter surprise, was light sobbing. She was crying.

He immediately opened the door and was greeted by chair thrown straight at him. Being a high ranked karate master, he dodged it with ease. But what he couldn't miss, unfortunately, was a ball of pink fury aiming right at him and with the intent of killing. He landed with a huge thud on the floor and a light weight straddling his body. Before he could even begin to fathom what was happening, he felt a cold shiver running down his body. Goosebumps immediately formed on his arms and legs as chilled hands crawled underneath his shirt and rubbed against his freezing chest.

"Sakura…"

His breath came out in a puff of white air; the room temperature was dropping severely. He could almost feel his lungs being incased by tiny icicles, it was getting harder to breathe; especially when a woman was fondling his and breathing down his neck. She was as cool as death, there was absolutely no warmth coming from her. Her skin may have been soft as cotton, but she felt as dead as a corpse. His shaking hands went to her side, trying to pry her off, but she let out a low and dangerous growl. She rubbed her elongated fangs against the skin of his neck, licking the pressure point with the tip of her tongue. If he didn't her off, _he_ was going to be her next dinner.

"Sakura, get off."

"You…"

Her voice was deep and menacing, sounding nothing like her sweet and innocent voice he heard last night. She sounded hungry, ready to kill.

"…made me starve for _five_ days."

"I'm sorry, I was busy at work."

His excuse went deaf in her ears, deadly sharp nails raked across his torso, leaving a trail of throbbing scratch marks. She was in predator mode and he was her prey. If she wanted too, she could easily cut him in half and eat his bleeding flesh. But where was the fun in that? She preferred to slowly suck the life out of her victims, painfully slow.

"You know, I could have gone downstairs and killed your family while you were away."

He knew she could, but was desperately thankful that she didn't.

"It's taking all of me to not sink my teeth into your neck right now."

"I have what you need, if you get off; I will give it to you."

A strange hissing noise came from her and her hands rested on his chest, never really moving from their spot. But her back slowly arched and she pressed her body against him, her face nuzzling into the nap of his neck. He could feel every luscious curve on this fem fatal, touch every inch of her body as it sank deeper into him. Her knees squeezed together at his side, causing him to illicit threatening emotions he dare not express. He was just a man, how could he _not_ react like this? His own wandering hands gripped her waist and tried to lift her off, but she wouldn't budge. Despite how light she was laying on him, it felt it trying to move a brick wall.

"If you do this to me again; I will not hesitate to bite you next time."

She stood on her knees and looked down at him with dark eyes, almost black were it not for the flash of green. Instantly, her hands shot at the bag that lay ignored next to him and got up, walking over to the scratched up cushion chair. Yellow fluff pouring out of the open cuts. She quickly discarded the pink box and started nibbling on the chocolate cupcake. Neji hadn't moved from his spot on the floor, he just sat there and examined the damage she had created. The wall paper was torn; every piece of furniture that once stood was now either broken into pieces or rubble, the ceiling lamp flickered on and off from the loose wires, and he could tell by the shattered glass on the floor that the window was broken. He took everything back; vampires were more difficult to deal with than humans.

"Look what you did, you completely trashed this place."

Not to mention his composure, but he wasn't to tell her that. He could still feel her frigid hands rubbing against his body and her teeth against his neck. A warm shower sounded _really_ nice at the moment. Remember, she's dead. You can't sleep with a dead chick, despite how beautiful and tempting she is. That would be considered necrophilia, and like cannibalism, it is frowned upon in many cultures. Why couldn't he have 'rescued' some ugly vegetarian vampire with distaste for blood? Oh right, because ALL vampires like blood and ALL vampires eat humans. He might just have to wear garlic around himself the next time he forgets to feed her.

"It was your fault," She said with a mouthful, "You shouldn't have left me here with no food to eat, dummy."

"Like I knew you were going to do all _this_ if I didn't. As I said earlier, I was too preoccupied with work."

"Well, unless you want to be the head suspect for one of the biggest family massacres in history, I suggest you _not_ do that again."

She licked the frosting with much eager, all too happy with her delicious, sugary cupcake.

"I guess I should apologize to you for the attack, it happens when I don't eat for a long period of time."

"It's only been five days."

"Which is like, ten years to me. I'm used to eating every day, so when I'm thrown off balance, bad things happen."

"I'll remember that next time."

"So, what was so important at work that you had to neglect me for that long?"

He pulled up a chair that didn't seem to have sustained a huge amount of damage and sat down carefully.

"I was busy finalizing a deal with our partners from Hong Kong."

"I see, was it successful?"

"Yes."

"Good, that means you have more time to pick me some more delectable cupcakes!"

A grumble escaped his lips, "Just how long do you plan on staying here?"

She lifted her leg, which was wrapped neatly in white bandages, "Until this heals. Need I remind you that this was also your fault? If you hadn't stuck your nose where it didn't belong, neither of us would be in this situation."

"I saved your life." He growled.

"At the cost of yours, right? Plus, it's not like I can't protect myself. Those hunters have been on my ass for centuries but I always escape, they're good for nothing humans that can't aim to save their lives."

Once again, his curiosity got the better of him, "And why exactly are they after you?"

"Obviously because I'm a vampire."

"But if this particular set of hunters have been following you for years, there must be a reason. Surely you can't be the only vampire in this world."

She put down the rest of her dinner and glared at him, "Insightful aren't we?"

"In my job, you must be."

"Well, we do have plenty of time to kill and I am in need to some company," She tried to sit as straight as possible without wearing down the torn up chair, "I guess it all started way back in the beginning of the nineteenth century. A couple years before my master was killed, he kidnapped and raped the wife of a very powerful feudal lord. Then killed her and dumped her body at his palace, thus instigating a full out war between the vampires and the humans. That bastard _wanted_ to start a war, and because we're oh so powerful and immortal, he thought we'd win."

"And did you?"

"…no, it was more like a draw between our races. You see, what people fail to realize is that we aren't mindless killing machines. We do have a mind and feelings. Some of us, despite our violent nature, don't like war. We aren't particularly fond of seeing our love ones die right in front of us. So in the midst of battle, those brave enough started a retaliation against my master and sided with the humans. Of course, being his 'mistress' I was the key to this entire thing. I was to get close to him before they made their strike. When the ink on the peace treaty was dry, we made our first strike. It took another couple years, but we managed to finally kill him."

"Then why are you still being hunted?"

"Well, old habits die hard. Some vampires, especially the younglings, forgot about the treaty and started attacking the humans. Thus ending all alliance. Being the former mistress of my master, I was the number one target. They feared I might want to 'avenge' his death or something."

He watched her finish her meal with a thoughtful expression. In school, his best subject had always been history. He loved to learn about past wars and battles, reading up on commanding officers and military techniques. There was one point in his life when he actually wanted to join the army, but knowing that he was needed more at home than at the frontlines, he changed his plans and decided to stay here in Japan. But it was rather odd to know that this fragile woman, who looked like she couldn't even carry a box, fought in more wars than he read. She had killed many people, taken their lives with either a bite of her fangs or the slashing of her claws. And yet, he wasn't intimidated at all. In fact, he was enthralled.

"Did I scare you?"

His mind was brought back into reality and he made a face at her question, "No."

"Then why did you get so quiet all of a sudden?"

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"How exactly did you become a vampire?"

"Well, you get bitten of course."

"I know what, but I meant _you_. How did _you_ become one?"

"Oh…well, remember when I said not all people liked my father?"

He nodded.

"My master was one of those people. He was a cruel and vile man no one liked, a sorcerer who screwed around with black magic. He always spoke of finding immortality, and when he did, he wanted me to join him. So he asked for my hand in marriage, but before I could even say anything, my father refused for me and banished him from our land. He wanted sweet revenge, and what other way than to kill me in front of my family. After that, he destroyed my clan…hey; don't look at me like that! I don't need your sympathies!"

Neji narrowed his eyes, "I wasn't going to give you any."

"Good, because I don't need them."

"You know, for an heiress, you are a very violent and temperamental woman."

"_Former_ heiress. And if you must know, my violence and temper has more pros than cons. It helped me win the war and survive for all these years."

As she leaned back against her seat, his eyes went back to the scar near her eye. He knew she received that the night she was turned into one of those blood suckers, but he wanted to hear it from her mouth. Then his eyes turned to hers, and they weren't looking at him anymore. They were focused on her leg, almost as if she was forcing herself to heal faster. For reasons unknown, he felt the need to take her in his arms, and cradle her like she was some kind of precious doll. There was sadness in her voice and her body seemed worn out, ready to just wither away and turn into dust.

"You seem tired."

She smirked, "Why, indeed I am Mr. Obvious."

He returned the smirk, "Would you like me to bring you a coffin?"

"Oh no thank you, that's just some stupid myth a pissed off hunter started a while back. Vampires can sleep anywhere they want."

"And where have you been sleeping all this time?"

"Well, I was sleeping on that bed," She pointed to a sliced up futon in the back corner, "But looks like I'll just have to sleep in yours tonight."

He quirked an eyebrow, "Don't even think about it."

"Aw, come on, I won't bite," She grinned, "I don't see what the big deal is. I know you want to sleep with me anyways."

"You're very full of yourself."

"No, I'm full of cupcakes and air. Plus, don't you want to know what it's like to be with a vampire?"

"I already do, they're annoying, a heavy burden, and quite the aggravating creatures."

She chuckled sarcastically, "Cute. Please, don't act like I can't smell your arousal."

His back stiffened at her words and she smiled widely.

"You are only human."

"I'm a disciplined human, I've taught myself to be above the temptations of women."

"Yeah, but how long can you keep that up? One day you're going to crack, and I won't be here to satisfy your needs."

"What makes you think I'll need _you_ for something like that?"

She shrugged, "Who else are you going to ask? Tenten?"

He was instantly in her face, hands gripping onto the arm rests, angry eyes boring into her amused emerald orbs.

"Don't you dare…"

"When I broke the window, I saw that brunette girl talking to you and heard everything. Quite the heartbreaker aren't we?"

"You will not talk to her in such a way."

She patted his head and pushed at his chest, "I'm not trying to insult your little girlfriend, just stating the obvious like you always do. You should tell her how you feel before it's too late, and trust me; she _won't_ hate you for it. Everyone appreciates honesty."

As he got up, he pushed the wires back into the lamp and fixed the flickering before heading for the door. He peeked over his shoulder, watching her beginning to clean up the mess she caused.

"She isn't my girlfriend."

Sakura didn't look up, "I know."

"What would you like for tomorrow?"

She couldn't help smiling, "I'm feeling like gingerbread."

He nodded and left. Heading towards his room to take a very, _cold_ shower.

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Hope you enjoyed. Ta ta!

**I know this may sound a little wierd but...I actually don't like Neji and Tenten together, as a couple at least. They always seemed like the brother sister type to me. I actually prefer Rock Lee and Tenten together.**

**R & R thanks !!**

**Ciao**


	3. Chapter 3: caramel gingerbread

**Enjoy!**

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Caramel Gingerbread

_Gingerbread flavored, with sweet cream frosting_

_Topped with a caramel swirl_

**Day 14**

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"Does it bother you to know that everyone has found love except you?"

Neji glanced over at the pink haired vampire eating her cupcake with a smug smirk on her impeccable face. She really loved to irk him, despite how generous and obedient he was; she just loved to pull at his strings. He hadn't even taken a seat yet and she was already bombarding him with questions regarding his personal life. Personal information that he liked to keep private. He really should have just left right after giving her the damn cupcake, but here he was, still sitting in the semi-fixed chair across from her. Maybe she was using some of her powers on him, or maybe he really _did_ just want to stay. Either way, he was stuck here until she let him go.

When he still hadn't answered her question, she grew even bolder and dared to push his boundaries.

"Your cousin's getting married, why haven't you?"

"Because I haven't found the right person yet."

Finally, a response. She smiled and munched happily into her delectable meal.

"Pity, you're such a handsome man. I'm surprised it's taking you this long just to find a bride."

"Marriage is my last priority."

"So it would seem."

"What does it matter to you anyways?"

She licked the frosting before looking up at him. Her enchanting emerald eyes never ceased to enrapture him. It was as if all the precious green jewels in the world were squeezed of their color and put into her. Just one look from her and she could command the attention of even the most powerful man without lifting a finger. She was a dangerous one.

"Have you ever been with a woman?"

He could feel his face heating up.

"That is none of your business."

"So you're a virgin then? That's really cute."

"Look who's talking."

She quirked a well groomed eyebrow, "Excuse me? Do I _look_ like a virgin to you?"

"Being the former daughter of a powerful Daimyo, I would have suspected that you held the belief of marriage before sex."

"Uh, yeah right. I am well past the legal age for that. In fact, I assure you I have already tried everything _once_ in my life time. When you have an eternity, you might as well make use of it."

"Then you must be just as lonely."

Stopping half way into biting her meal, she lowered the pastry until it sat in her lap. She fiddled with the paper wrappings around the cupcake, dropping her eyes as she bit her lower lip. He hit a very soft spot, and even through all these years, it still hurt like a fresh wound. Her emptiness was her curse; an un-beating and shattered heart lay deep within the bowels of her chest. Unlike the glamorized Hollywood world of a vampire, it was not all that it was cracked up to be.

Contrary to belief, vampires actually do feel. To a certain degree though. They love with their stomachs, not with their hearts. Despite being hollow and barren with minimal emotions, the females are quite attuned to their feelings more than the males. This is why it is harder for a woman to stay a vampire for longer than a man. They usually commit suicide do to the unbarring reclusion they are forced to deal with, not to mention the constant sensation of heartbreak repeating over and over again. The price for beauty, immortality, and limitless power is not worth, to some, the sacrifice of compassion and life.

Death was a vampires only true companion, because every where they went, death was sure to follow. The uncontrollable urge to tear flesh open, the animalistic need to fuck then kill was insatiable. This was what a human was reduced to the minute they become a blood sucker. Some don't survive; others bear with the pain and move on with what they have. Forever lingering in the shadows and the cold and desolate night as daylight becomes a thing of the past, not to mention and enemy all in itself.

And no, they do not _sparkle_ in the sun. They don't have hard as stone skin made of diamonds. The day Sakura read this little tidbit in that infernal Twilight book; she nearly slaughtered the people inside the book store. _Real _vampires burst into flames and disintegrate into ashes. A vegetarian vampire? Please! Every night walker knows that no matter what, substitutes never last long. Another thing that is sadly over looked is that vampires can be injured. They can feel pain just as badly as the living, even if they can heal quicker, but it still hurts just as much. However, emotional pain never really quite cures itself.

When he noticed how her face had dropped at his question, a wave of guilt washed over him. He didn't show it, but he could almost feel her sadness as if she were channeling through him. Strange, and they weren't very close to begin with. Yet, he felt like he had always known who she was, from all the minimal amount of information she had given to him.

"Sakura…"

"You know, three and a half centuries is a long time to live."

Carefully, he searched for the right words to say next, "Were you...alone the entire time?"

"Yes…and no. I've had many lovers, some humans and some vampires. But things like that don't last very long. The humans die and the vampires leave, in which case, I am alone once again. But I've learned to deal with the loss and to just move on."

"Then what do you do for most of the time?"

Rolling her eyes, she chuckled sarcastically, "Eat. Sleep. Hunt. Eat. Sleep. Hunt."

Neji rolled his eyes, "What a very productive way to spend an eternity."

She grinned, "I do fool around once in a while, if I'm feeling frisky and adventurous."

Here we go again, "Please, I do not want to talk about that again."

"Why not? You are so _boring_, stop walking around with that stick up your ass and let loose will you?"

His only response was a glare. She shrugged and continued to eat. All the tense and serious emotions that were looming around in the air were suddenly gone now, replaced with her sudden cheery and playful attitude. She had an odd tendency to do that, switch emotions with just a snap of a finger. He could be dealing with not only a dangerous vampire, but a senile one too.

"This is really good, I've only eaten caramel a couple times in my life. But it really brings out the flavor in this gingerbread…Hey Neji."

"What?"

"Try it."

"No thank you."

"Come on, be nice and just take a bite. It won't kill you."

"You've already bitten into it."

"But not right here!" She pointed to a spot on the cupcake that had not teeth marks whatsoever, "If you try it, I promise to be your best friend."

He nearly rolled his eyes at her, but opted not to. In fear she might hit him again. Yes, that's right, she _**hit **_him. On the head of all places. The second night of her stay, she had asked for strawberry razzle dazzle and he got her strawberries and cream, without the cute little sprinkles. Then she bonked him on the head with that angry fists of hers and it felt like she had just smashed him with a ton of bricks. That was when he discovered her inhuman strength. Scary little beast she was.

"If I do, will you please stop bothering me?"

She bobbed her head up and down with enthusiasm. Without any further hesitation, he leaned in, cupping his hands over hers, and took a petty bite. Pulling back, but never relinquishing his hold on her, he chewed silently while looking at the ripped wall paper near her head. She stared at him with big, round doe-like eyes and a childish smile plastered on her face. When he finally swallowed, she sucked in a mouth full of air and gave him a hopeful look.

"It's alright."

"Bullshit, you _loved_ it, am I right? You know you can't deny the deliciousness of a gingerbread cupcake."

"I rarely ever eat sweets so there is nothing for me to say."

"Whatever…hey, you have frosting at the corner of your lips."

He brought a hand up to the right side of his face, "Here?"

"No, left side."

He did just that, but somehow still missed.

"Here, let me get it for you."

Suddenly, before he could utter another word, she was now in front of him and grasping his chin. Her face hovering above his, the smell of gingerbread radiating off her lips. But other than that, she had no odor. No aroma or scent, she felt cold and that was all. She truly was the walking dead. But before his mind could wander elsewhere, her tongue darted out and licked his lips. It was very brief, only a split second, but it felt like his whole body was dipped in dry ice. It felt raw at first, but it also felt _erotic_. He felt his skin crawl and his insides burning. Surprisingly, against her creamy complexion, her tongue was pink, just like her lips.

That was when he realized his own lips started to sting.

"Sorry, forgot to mention my tongue's like a razor blade."

There was blood. His blood, on his lips.

But before the red, sappy liquid could seep any further, she swiped her thumb across the wound and brought it to her mouth. Her eyes darkened as she tasted the _delicious, lively_ juice. She could say, without a doubt that it was much better than cupcakes. Though those did come in at a close second. The cut closed up as she swiped against his lips again. She sat back in her seat like nothing had happened and continued to eat her cupcake without further a due.

"Told you it was good right? Tomorrow I was thinking vanilla crème? You know the ones with the heart shaped sprinkles, those look so cute. "

He didn't know what to say, for the first time in his life, Hyuga Neji was stunned silent. By a _woman_ no less.

"Hey, shouldn't you start heading for your cousin's dinner party?"

Oh yes, that's right. Hinata's dinner party. It starts in half an hour, everyone was going there and he was expected too. But, somewhere in the back of his fuzzy mind, he didn't really want to go. Damn, he was getting attached to her. And she wasn't even _trying_. She was just…acting like her normal self. This was all one sided and all so frustrating. Stupid Sakura and her stupid clueless seduction, why can't she just keep her hands to herself? If only she knew how much her touches her affecting him.

"I'll be taking my leave then."

"Alright, see you tomorrow! Don't forget my cupcake!"

As he closed the door behind him and descended down the stairs, he swore he heard her bursting out laughing and calling him an 'ignorant fool.'

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A little short I know…but it'll be longer the next chapter, swears!

**And if you're wondering, yes I do hate twilight. **

**R & R thanks!**

**Ciao**


	4. Chapter 4: vanilla crème

**Sorry I didn't update sooner! Busy with school and all! Almost done with it!**

**I actually made vanilla crème cupcakes before, they were sooo good HaHa, too bad I only a chance to eat only **_one_. **My boyfriend & his friends ate all the rest! UGH boys**

**Enjoy!**

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Vanilla Crème

_Vanilla flavored, light sweet cream frosting_

_With red, heart shaped sprinkles_

**Day 17**

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It was like he had walked right into an episode of the twilight zone. He had never seen something so _grotesque_ or _weird _in his entire life. Sure, he had his fair share of the unusual, but this just topped everything. Nothing could compare to this bizarre phenomenon occurring right before this poor, tainted eyes. Why did he even bother getting out of bed today? Did he even get out of bed? It felt like he was still in one of his dreams, the kind where it was nearly impossible to wake up. But then again, his dreams often involved around a _beautiful_, _enticing_ vampire with pink hair and the body of a goddess. Not this nauseating ball of melting flesh hanging from the attic ceiling.

A giant fleshy sack, covered in slime, hung from above, throbbing and pulsating. Neji almost puked right then and there, just looking at it made him want to scream. There was no odor, not even a small scent. Only the sound of loud and haggard breathing filled the room as sticky goo squeezed out from the under the covers of the sack. He didn't even have to guess what, or more like whom, was inside that thing.

He spun on his heels, ready to bolt out of the room when he heard a loud ripping noise. Soon, the sounds of bones cracking and skin peeling off flesh filled his hears, and he just about keeled over. There was a small hole in the revolting sack, and it only got bigger as a hand came out. A tiny and delicate thing, and there was only one person in the entire room to whom it could possibly belong to. Another hand joined as she struggled to pull herself out, soon came her arms, them her legs, and finally a head. Her abnormal pink hair was oddly brighter than usual and longer too. Long threads of wet hair fell freely around her body as she pushed herself through and into the open.

Sadly, he couldn't pull his eyes away no matter how hard he tried. The body fell from the oozing sack and landed with a thud on her feet. Her head was bowed down as her hair covered her body. On top of everything else; she was naked. Just like how she usually was in his dreams. He was frozen, glued to the spot as his eyes moved from the squishy sack to the bare-skinned woman crouched before him. Suddenly, said sack burst into green and blue flames. The body slowly rose and pulled her head back, revealing a clean face and a pair of pointy fangs.

"Sorry you had to see that, I didn't think you'd come this early."

He couldn't say anything, too stunned to even comprehend what was happening.

"Don't worry; the flames won't catch your house on fire. It's just burning the shell."

She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes before opening them. They were glowing, more glossy and deep. If he stared even longer into them, he might be lost forever. The fire went out, just as her shell crumbled into tiny white flakes that melted in the air. Now the room was empty, with just her, him, and the furniture. As took in another shaky gulp of air, she turned to him and smiled.

"Vampires have to do that every last full moon of the month. It's a way to rejuvenate ourselves, to prevent internal rotting and external decay. If we don't, we start breaking down until we're as ugly as Nosferatu."

When he still hadn't said anything, she chuckled and moved a thick strand of hair from her face.

"Is it alright if I take a shower in your bathroom? I am kind of covered in goo you know."

"How did…"

"You don't want to know. So is that a yes?"

"No…yes!"

She quirked an eyebrow, "What?"

"Go ahead, just don't get caught."

A smile adorned her face, "Thanks, do you have any extra cloths I can wear?"

"Yes…"

He felt like such an idiot, speaking to her in only one word answers. As she walked right past him, not even caring about the fact that she was _naked_ and that anyone could see her, she stopped in the doorway. Her head peeking over her shoulder and onto his back.

"Where's my cupcake?"

"I…don't have it."

"What? Do you _want _me to eat your family?"

"You told me not to come in here for three days, how was I supposed to know if you wanted your precious cupcake now?"

A deep growl rumbled in her throat, "Don't get smart with me. I did just have a recharge you know, I'm the most powerful and dangerous thing in this city right now," She was instantly behind him, her body pressed firmly against his back and arms roaming his chest before resting on his neck, "But you're just a boy, I guess I can forgive you…yet again. If that's the case then, I have no choice but to get the cupcake myself."

"What?"

"You heard me, I'm sick of staying cooped up in here like some caged animal. I want to go out too you know."

His eyes, ignoring the way her arms were fiddling with his hair, shot down to her leg, "Is your leg healed?"

He could feel her smile through his shirt, "Not all the way unfortunately, the bastard shot me with a silver arrow dipped in holy water. It's going to take a few more nights before I fully recover from it. But I do have enough strength in me to…engage in any strenuous activity that is thrown my way."

"You should hurry before the bakery closes," His voice was low and husky.

"We have all night you know."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Wow, you actually feel _fear_? And here I thought you were some emotionless ice cube," She grabbed his hand and dragged him along, "Come join me in the showers!"

_Absolutely not!_

What he would have said if his tongue wasn't caught inside his own throat. He could do nothing what gap soundlessly as she pulled him down his own hall way, into his room (where she stood and looked around for a couple minutes, commenting how boring and dull it looked), and went into his personal bathroom. Surprisingly, it looked much better than his bedroom. It wasn't the biggest bathroom in the world, but it was large enough to accommodate all necessary toiletries. A single sink attached to the wall with a wooden cabinet under it, a white toilet in the corner, a silver, modern looking shower stall, and Sakura's personal favorite; a marble tub in the middle of the room.

She clapped her hands and immediately rushed to the tub, turning the water on while sitting happily on the edge. Neji walked over to the other side and sat down against the wall. He watched as she lifted her injured leg and slowly dipped it into the warm water, hissing a little from the pain. When it was filled to the brim, she stepped in and sat down, leaning her head back and sighing in relief. Closing her eyes, she dunked her head in for a few seconds before remerging.

"I haven't relaxed like this in ages. I'm always running, hiding, or sleeping. Even in this modern world, a vampire just can't seem to get a break."

He finally seemed to get his voice back; perhaps it was the steam calming his nerves, "Why don't you leave the country then?"

"Leave Japan forever? I tried, but I can't bring myself to do it. I'll go off to another country for a long period of time, but I'll get homesick and just come running back. I lived here, died here. This is where I'm meant to be."

Grabbing a yellow soap bar, she began to thoroughly wash herself clean. She lifted her leg into the air and rubbed the bar against her skin, completely unaware how her actions were affecting the only male in the room. Closing her eyes, she started to hum a very old lullaby. It was a song her mother used to sing to her every night before she went to bed, sadly though, generations later; she was the only person who knew the sad song. Her mind started wandering off and she completely forgot about Neji, too engrossed with her memories.

Unbeknownst to Sakura, Neji was actually quite familiar with this song. In fact, he heard it a couple times when he was a child. He had forgotten all about it until know, because he was pretty sure the only people who knew how to properly sing it were the elderly. Most of whom were now gone.

"Moon Castle."

She popped an eye open, "I beg your pardon?"

"It's called Moon Castle."

The edges of her lip slightly curled, "And how, pray tell, does a human like you know something like that?"

"I heard it a few times when I was a child."

"Very interesting," She dropped the bar and rested her chin on her arm as she leaned against the edge of the tub, "And here I thought the song had died out long ago, it's very old you know. Hundreds of years old."

"Perhaps there are some things that don't die away."

She chuckled, a sad gleam in her eyes, "Yes, it seems so doesn't it?"

There was silence between them, but it was a comfortable silence. Sakura lounged in the water, basking in its warmth and the feeling of being naked. She didn't know why, but ever since dying, she loved the feeling of being nude. It was freeing, losing all the restrictions that tied her down. Being constantly followed and ordered around always irked her, she hated being royal and having to follow rules. She always did enjoy the simple life. Don't get her wrong though, being a vampire sucked (again, no pun intended), but it was also nice to finally be able to chose what she wanted to wear, where she wanted to go, who she wanted to love…

She knew Neji was staring at her, and she didn't really care. People constantly stared at her throughout her life; it was just something she was so used to. But whenever she looked back, he's eyes always displayed a colorful ray of emotions she had long tossed aside. She forgot what it was like to feel pain, what it was like to be surprised, to expect the unexpected. Constantly hiding in the shadows, she spent a good portion of her existence in isolation. She longed for company, but also _hated _everything about it.

"I was in love once, a long time ago."

He titled his head to the side.

"His name was Uchiha Sasuke. My first true love…my first kill. I wanted to marry him, start a family, grow old with him by my side…but then my world came tumbling down. When he found out I became a vampire, he was so…sad, it breaks my heart every time I think about it. I expected him to cast me aside and turn away in disgust, but instead…he accepted me, despite being a murderous monster. I thought that perhaps he would try to find a way to turn me back into a human, but he didn't."

Some water spilled out over the rim as she moved around, a bit uneasy revealing the darkest parts of her past to him. Yet she trusted him. Of all the people she knew and met, he was the only person she could trust, at the moment at least. It was confusing and a bit frustrating, but there wasn't an inch of her that didn't believe him to be an evil man.

"What happened?" His voice broke her train of thoughts and she looked at him.

A sad smile adorned her face, "He asked me to make him a vampire too."

It was understandable why she would become upset over this. This wasn't like becoming a god or a superhero, you died. You become a hungry animal bent on killing, blinded by bloodlust. Sometimes hunting could get so out of control, you'd wake up next to a slaughtered village. Yes, a person does become an impossibly strong creature of the night, with powers beyond anyone's wildest dreams. But there are more drawbacks than positive outcomes. Insanity was defiantly one of them; Sakura knew that one for sure. It was a very disastrous time in her life, and adding Sasuke into the mix did not help.

"Did you do it?"

Her laugh was bitter, filled with resentment and chagrin, "What a naïve little girl I was, I was still a youngling so I didn't know any better. All I wanted was just to be with him. I thought he could handle it as well as I did, but like always; I was wrong. The bastard grew insane with power, slaughtering everything that moved. I warned him, the minute he becomes a vampire, he stops being himself. But he knew my weakness…him. He took advantage of my love and told me that if he became a vampire, we'd be together forever."

If this were any other person, Neji would have surely rolled his eyes and scoff at her. Women could be so predictable, the most over emotional and sensitive of the sexes, not to mention easy to manipulate. But this was Sakura, and her situation was very different from everyone else's. So he couldn't exactly call her ridiculous for her antics. It wasn't everyone that you become a vampire and lose your life in an instant. She wanted a part of her old life with her, and he couldn't blame her for wanting it.

"I tried to tell him, I even tried to teach him…but it was useless. Nothing I said went through to him. You know what the stupidest part was? I still loved him…even after I was ordered to kill him; I was still hopelessly in love with the fool."

He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. It came from nowhere, but it had managed to slip past his barrier and crawled its way into his head. It sat there, and instead of neurons firing off from his brain, little arrows of green envy blasted its way through his body. This was absurd. Here Sakura was, pouring her heart out to him and he was getting worked up and _jealous_ over a dead man. Clearly, she had more of an effect on him than he realized.

"Are you still…"

"Yeah right! That was _eons_ ago; I am so over that guy. Jerk, didn't even get me anything for our anniversary. I've moved on to bigger and better things."

He quirked an eyebrow, "Oh, and what would that be?"

She smirked, "Well, you of course."

She scowled at her giggling and turned away, "Just hurry up with your bath if you want your damn cupcake."

Her laughter filled the room as she poured water of her head, washing away the shampoo, "Do you have any scissors?"

"Yes, why?"

"To cut my hair silly, you don't honestly expect me to walk around with it at this length to do you?" To emphasize her point, she grabbed a fist full of hair and lifted it up, "My master used to love me with long hair, so I kept cutting it short every time it grew long again, just to make him hate me. That didn't work of course, but it didn't stop me. Now, I'm just used to it chest length, it's actually better this way. Especially when I hunt."

He didn't want to say anything, even if it bothered him. They way he spoke of people, like they were animals and she was the hunter; it was disturbing and cruel. Even if it was just her nature, it was getting increasingly difficult to keep his mouth shut and his opinions to himself.

"I only kill those who deserve to die."

She wasn't looking at him anymore, instead, her head was hanging and her eyes were closed.

"You think I'm some stupid monster who eats whomever I want? I have a brain you know, and I can think for myself. I choose who I kill, not the other way around. I only hunt those who deserve to die."

"And what makes you think you know who deserves to die or not?"

"Like I said, I choose the person. When they're in prison, it's not really that difficult."

He looked at her incredulously.

"Come on, you think it's hard to bust an inmate out? Maybe you should invest some of that money into the prison's security, lord knows that need it."

He was already at her side when she lifted herself up, wrapping a towel around her lithe body. It was rather comical to know how incredibly short she was; she barely managed to reach the top of his shoulders and yet was one of the fiercest creatures in the world. Her innocent look was a trap that even he, unfortunately, fell for. And her eyes…no matter how many times he looked into them, he always managed to find himself lost.

"Neji, I really think you need to find yourself a girlfriend."

"And why is that?"

"Well, someone needs to melt the ice shield you put up. I'd do it, but I'm just as frozen."

How wrong she was. It already seemed as if she had done just that, and she didn't even know it.

"You can't stay alone forever you know."

"You have."

She chuckled, placing a hand on top of his. Despite sitting in hot water for over twenty minutes, she still felt as cold as the night air, "That's because I'm dead."

"Is there a way to turn you back into a human?" The words came out before he would even think of stopping them.

Her eyes were wide for a second before looking down, "I killed my master, and I'm still a vampire. There is no way to reverse this curse."

He couldn't help but feel angry, and a little selfish. His thoughts were always centered around her and it irritated him how he couldn't do anything to stop it. She was dead, and he was alive. These feelings were dangerous, not to mention ludicrous. He had to get rid of them before they escalate into something more. Sakura placed a hand on his cheek and smiled.

"There's only one day a year where I'm allowed to walk in the sunlight. I won't tell you when, but I'll come back on that day to see you. I promise."

There was no point in getting his hopes up, but he nodded anyways. Tucking that little promise in the back of his mind.

"Let's go get your cupcake."

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Just to clear a few things up, I made up the whole vampire sack thing up. It's not what a vampire does; I just added it in there to go along with the story. Actually, I got the idea from this alien movie I saw, I forgot what it was called, but these aliens get into these ugly and yucky sacks to re-energize or something and come out looking brand new! It was gross but pretty cool to watch. And the whole walking in sunlight thing, I made that up too.

**And, despite what the days are, it's took place somewhere in the middle of the month. The days are just how long Sakura's been staying with Neji**

**R & R thanks!**

**Ciao!**


	5. Chapter 5: red velvet

**Yay! Last chapter!**

**The next chapter for blackout is taking a while. I've been busy, and it's really long too. **

**Enjoy!**

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Red Velvet

_Vanilla, chocolate flavored. Cream cheese frosting_

_A heart shaped candy_

**Day 22**

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Her eyes reminded him of a three year old in a giant candy store. They were big and glossy, becoming brighter every time they landed on something that caught her attention. An ecstatic smile was plastered onto her face the minute she stepped into the bakery and it hadn't come off since. Sure, she'd been in here once, but it was only for a brief moment. She caught the scent of blood coming from the kitchen, a worker had accidentally cut his hand and she wanted to leave immediately.

Now that they had the whole night together, she wasn't going to waste any second of it inside that god forsaken attic. Honestly, she was tired of feeling like a caged bird and needed some fresh air. Neji, being the understanding person that he was, took her hand and led her across the block into the city. He hadn't let go of that hand since.

Sakura didn't really seem to mind, or care for that matter. The only thing that was going through her head was what cupcake flavor she was going to fill her empty stomach with.

_Mmm…so yummy…want all._

Her grip tightened each time her eye caught some delectable. She had to keep herself in check before throwing all thoughts aside and just breaking the glass and eating everything. So preoccupied with choosing her next meal, she missed the longing look in Neji's silver eyes. He was angry, but content and calm. Angry that he let himself fall so far, but happy that he met someone as quirky and enigmatic as her. But he reminded himself every night before he went to bed that she was dead, and there was no future with her.

"Hey, you."

He winced when she elbowed him rather roughly. Damn her and her monstrous strength.

"What?"

"Why are all those people staring at us? Do they know what I am?"

She wasn't looking back, but staring at the reflection on the glass counter. Indeed, practically every eye in the entire bakery, including those of the employees, was all latched on the pair. He glanced at her face to see if she was bothered, but she still looked unruffled as usual. She was still concentrating on the pastry goods, but was patiently waiting for an answer from him.

"No, I don't believe so. I suspect that it's because of your unusual pink hair."

"It's not that weird!" She hissed.

"Or, it could be that no one has ever seen me holding hands with a girl."

Tilting her head, she turned to him, "You've never held hands with a girl before?"

"Not necessarily, I've just never displayed any sort of affection towards of girl in public."

"What about in private?"

He smirked, "That's private information."

She grinned, "So you aren't a virgin then?"

The old woman behind the counter coughed into her hand, trying very hard to hide her laughter. Neji narrowed his eyes and turned back to pastry and sweets. Sakura chuckled and started walking towards the end, pulling him along. From the view of the outside world, they looked like any other couple; an insanely gorgeous man with an equally beautiful woman, together shopping for delicious looking cupcakes. But what they didn't know was the internal battle they were both fighting from within.

As he struggled to keep his emotions and hormones in check, she was cursing the world and fought with her strong desire to throw him on the ground and drain him of his blood. As collected as they looked to everyone else, they would never know the agony they both had to endure.

Sakura was good at reading emotions, something she picked up from years of trying not to piss her master off. From the way Neji's arm suddenly went limp, she knew something was wrong. And being the somewhat good person that she was/is, she wrapped her arms around his and tugged at him.

"What's wrong now?"

He shook his head, "Nothing."

"Liar, if there's something bothering you, then just spill it."

"Not here." His eyes shifted to the people still staring at them before turning back to her.

She nodded.

Fifteen minutes had gone by and Sakura still hadn't found what she was looking for.

"Will you please just pick something?" He was sourly losing his patience.

She scoffed at him, "This is a delicate selection here, picking cupcakes is a very important and sensitive subject. I have to pick the best one or else everything will go to ruin."

He quirked an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"

A feral grin slowly made its way across her face, "You'll see, when the time comes, you'll see."

At that moment, some big, red, and smelling awfully heavenly caught her immediate attention. She dragged her companion past the cakes and into the specialty section. A decorative array of sweets were on display as 'pastries of the day,' one in particular stood out from the rest. Her face pressed into the glass as she tried to get as close and possible. Her eyes fluttered close for a second before she slowly opened them.

"I could get high on the smell alone…"

He inwardly chuckled, her antics never ceased to amuse him. Though sometimes they did get on his nerves. She squeezed his hands and turned to him. Her smile still took his breath away as she gently tugged on his sleeve.

"Look, look! There's _two_! One for me and one for you!"

In the back, he could hear a couple love struck women cooing and a handful of 'aws.'

"No thank you, I don't like sweets."

"I thought we went over this already, you only live once. Try something new. Have you ever had red velvet cupcakes before?"

"No."

"Good, neither have I!" She raised her hand, "Excuse me! Could we have those two please?"

The pulp old woman behind the counter smiled gingerly and took their orders.

Sakura, being the loud and vivacious person that she is, couldn't keep her mouth shut for too long. Because she knew something was troubling him, she brought up as many topics as possible to talk about; hoping at least one of them would hit a nerve. But, Neji was a business man. And every business man knew when to keep his mouth shut and emotions in check until he felt like releasing them. Semi-defeated, she let him wins this time and grabbed both their sweets desserts for them.

Not ready to head back, she started walking in the opposite direction. It didn't matter where she went, just as long as it was somewhere far away from her confinement cell. The sun had set only an hour ago, so the night was still young. Dark clouds covered the sky, obscuring the view of the twinkling stars. However, that didn't stop the quarter moon from shining down on earth. In grand central park, the best view was on a bench not too far away from a playground.

She plopped down on one side, wincing a little from the pressure on her leg, and patted a spot right next to her. The second he sat, she pushed a cupcake into his hands and greedily began to devour hers.

"…But what I found fascinating the most was how sharp my senses became after I died. It's ironic really, for example; when I was alive, my sense of smell was as dull as a blunt blade. Now, I can smell anything I want for miles."

"Is that some sort of hunting technique?"

"Partially, it's also for survival. I can smell my enemy, what he's carrying, and which direction he's coming from. Which case, my eyes come in handy too. I can see better than twenty-twenty actually. From a single raindrop falling from the sky, to a tiny pedal lounging on a flower."

Neji picked the heart shaped candy, examining it with curiosity, "Are you particularly proud of all these assets you have gained after becoming a part of the undead?"

"Well, they've kept me alive for well over three centuries. I guess I have to be a bit grateful that I am still here. Though, it would be nice to just move on, seeing as how there isn't really anything left for me. However, that is where the problem comes in."

"What problem?"

She smiled and poked her heart, "Unlike most legends, vampires don't go to hell when they finally die. We're stuck in between life and death, because that is what we are. The living dead. And as punishment, we're put in a realm where we can't move on. We aren't even ghosts, just souls walking forever without hitting a destination."

He sneaked a glance her way, "Do you…at least meet the…others?"

"Unfortunately not. We know they're there, but we don't have the luxury of seeing them."

There was silence between them as one continued to eat her meal whilst the other dissected his.

He wasn't the sympathetic type, and he was sure she wouldn't appreciate his pity or sorrow. Perhaps if this was another life, and they had met on different circumstances, things would have worked out. But seeing as how Sakura held no malice in her voice and didn't seem to wallow in her misfortunes, there was no reason for Neji to have any condolences for her either. Life moves on, time does not stop for anyone, and fate is not decided; it is created.

"What are you going to do after this?"

She looked up, delicately wiping her chin, "What do you mean?"

"After your leg is healed, what will you do?"

"I guess…go back to doing what I was before. Surviving, traveling."

"Don't you get tired, after living for so long?"

She shrugged, "I suppose, there are times when I don't feel like being here anymore and wish for a swift death…but then I end up finding something that catches my interest and I get stuck chasing it for another few years. It's a vicious cycle."

Surprisingly, a small smile crept onto his face, surprising her. She cocked her head and widened her eyes, "You okay?"

He nodded, "I think…I would like to travel as well. I feel like a caged bird. Unable to spread my wings. I too would like to see the world."

She quirked an eyebrow, "You're not going to ask me to make you a vampire are you?"

Smirking, he shook his head, "No, I don't think I would last very long if I were to become one."

"Yeah, you're too much of a sissy la-la. In the vampire world, you have to be a cold hearted killer to last longer than a decade."

"You aren't that cold hearted, despite how you try to make yourself be."

She glared at him, while chewing on her cupcake at the same time. Secretly, he thought she looked positively adorable, but he wasn't going to let that bit of information slip. He truly will miss these little moments he shared with her, it was almost time for her departure, but he knew he would always cherish these small memories. It was rather amusing, knowing that he felt more alive with a vampire than he did with a human.

"Hey, you haven't even touched yours yet!" She pouted up at him.

"I told you, I don't like sweets."

"But if you don't eat it then you'll ruining my plan."

"What plan?"

A coy smile found its way to Sakura's lips, "Take a bite and you'll see."

Right before he took his first bite, he stopped, "It's not laced with poison is it?"

She scoffed at him, "What use are you to me dead? Now, stop being a baby and just _eat it_."

Seeing as how there was no way around it, he raised the red velvet cupcake and slowly took his first bite. A rush of sugar, frosting, and all things that will make him diabetic swept through his system. He was pretty sure after he swallowed this bite; he was going to suffer a major cardiac arrest from an overload of pure sweetness. It made him cringe, the icing exploded in his mouth while the vanilla chocolate flavored overrode his senses.

Meanwhile, Sakura watched with evil, sparkling eyes. She was a deviant, even when human, she loved to fool around. It wasn't a hidden fact that she was a enjoyed pulling pranks on people to get what she wanted. Dead or alive, anyone could fall victim to her sweet persuasion. As Neji continued to adjust himself to the strong flavor of the cupcake, she lifted herself up and hovered over his lap. Her knees planted on both sides of his legs. Faces mere inches apart.

"What're you doing?"

She grinned, "Do you like it?"

"Not really." He leaned as far back against the bench as possible, but there was only so much room for him to move.

"That's too bad, because I _loved_ it."

And before he could say anything else, she kissed him.

And it _hurt_.

For about three seconds though.

His eyes were wide open, while hers were half lidded. It was like kissing cotton, or fluff, or something really soft but with no flavor at all. Her entire stay, he had wondered what it would be like to taste those mocking lips of hers, and when the time finally came, he was a bit disappointed. He was expecting them to taste like strawberries, or cherries, something mind blowing and intoxicating. Instead, it was bland and flavorless. But still, it felt rather nice to be doing this.

He felt her delicate hands move up his chest and secure themselves around his shoulder. Wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, he pulled her closer until she was sitting on his lap and straddling him. Before he could adjust himself and make the best of this vapid peck on the lips, she bit his lower lip.

With those sharp as hell fangs of hers.

Being a Hyuga, he stopped himself from shrieking like a pubescent teenager and opted to wince violently.

She drew blood and began to suck and lick him dry. Pushing herself further into him, a cold breath breezed across his lips as her well endowed tongue lapped up the red substance. A Cheshire grin crossed her face as she felt him shudder; she knew he was trying him hardest to suppress a groan. She wouldn't have any of that and plunged her tongue into his mouth.

His previous sugar hype was blown away when he felt her enter his mouth. He tasted marble, but also red velvet cupcakes. Damn, it was _good_.

If all cupcakes tasted like a woman French kissing him, he wouldn't mind buying a few more after this.

All thoughts were washed away; breathing became a thing of the past as he concentrated every fiber of his body to feel more of this pink haired vixen. His fingernails grazed down her thigh and she mewled into him. He never felt so excited before.

Their tongues battled against each other for dominance, but in the end she won. And she intended to play out her victory. Her fingers buried themselves in her hair and began to massage his scalp; she almost burst out laughing when his head began to loll back. A happy purr resonated from the back of her throat as his hand began to massage her legs. She could very well keep this up for another five minutes, or perhaps a whole century if not for the fact that he had to _breathe_.

She almost forgot about that little tidbit. Her mind was too busy processing the exquisite morsel that is Hyuga Neji. His blood was like honey, addicting and nectarous. It had been a while since she tasted something that pure and human, usually she'd end up eating something tainted and foul. Her animalistic and murderous nature almost emerged right then and there, urging her to fuck him senseless then slice his throat open and eat him up. But being a seasoned vampire, she thwarted her inner monster away and broke apart from the kiss.

He gasped for air, his lungs screaming with joy. His head rested in the palm of her hand, eyes still closed from his wild excursion. Wow, just plain wow. He kissed girls, on the cheek, on the hand, and sometimes a peck on the lips. But he had never done _that_ before. And he would gladly do it again, if not for the fact that it would very well end his young life.

"So…still hate sweets?"

"_**No**__."_

She giggled and pressed her forehead against his, enjoying the feel of living human flesh.

"Want to do it again?"

"Maybe after I get the blood pumping back to my brain."

"You're such a virgin, can't even handle a bit of tongue."

"Well, I've never kissed a vampire before."

"More like never French-ed with a girl before," She smiled coyly, "But it's alright, I'll teach you how to do it properly before I leave."

Suddenly, his thinking process began to work again and he was in full Hyuga mode.

"Leave?"

"Of course silly, remember? After my leg heals I'll be out of your pretty little hair in no time."

Oh, right, he forgot about that. What a shame, and here he was, already attached to her like a dog to a bone. Maybe when she isn't looking, he could slip into a church, steal their holy water, and pour some into her wound. Thus extending her stay in his attic. But the second that notion crossed his mind, he immediately swatted it away. It was totally selfish, not to mention cruel and stupid. Not only would he have the wrath of angry _female_ vampire on his hands, but the guilt of halting her freedom she so desperately desires.

A wild animal does not deserve to be cage. No matter how much the caretaker loves and desires it.

Love?

Did he even actually love her?

He liked her that was for sure, over the past few weeks he sat with her in that dimly lit attic, he had come to respect and cherish Sakura more than anything else. He didn't know why, and certainly did care.

Said vampire noticed his inner turmoil and sighed, burying her head into the nap of his neck.

"Don't be sad, I said I'd come and visit you when the time comes."

_Who knows how long that'll be_…

Her hand began to gently rub against the back of his neck.

"You shouldn't have gotten so attached to me."

"You shouldn't have gotten yourself wounded."

"You shouldn't have played hero."

Idly, his finger traced the permanent scar on her leg. God has marked the damned with his blessed water, and she will forever carry this mark until her passing on. It angered her how much the heavens looked down on creatures like her. It wasn't her fault she was kidnapped, it wasn't her fault she was turned into a being of the night.

"Sakura, you're digging into my skin."

She hadn't realized her nails had elongated into claws and was now scratching his neck.

"Oh, sorry. I was…just thinking."

"Me too."

She lifted her head and sat straight up on his lap, "Let's make a promise to each other, okay?"

He quirked his eyebrow, "What kind of promises?"

"You buy two cupcakes, I don't care which kind of what flavor, just buy two. Eat one yourself, and leave one outside."

"Why?"

"So you'll know that I'm always around."

He couldn't help but lightly smile at her, "And my promise?"

"Anything you want."

"I just want to see you again."

His eyes were serious, as was hers. There was no light in them anymore, only the moon, the stars, and the whole world waiting for an answer.

"Promise.

-----

She could count with two hands, how many beds she's slept in. With two hands, she could easily name the people/vampires she's slept with.

But with one hand, on one tiny little finger, she could only count how many times she enjoyed it.

He felt like dream, it was all so unreal. Smooth, rugged skin underneath her pale one. His naked chest softly moved up and down with every breath he took. He was in a deep sleep and she was wide awake.

Gazing up at him, her chin resting on her folded hands, she wondered what he thought she felt like on top of him. Did she felt soft? Smooth? Hard? Her skin wasn't like marble, but it wasn't like Egyptian cotton either.

It was something that would most likely occupy her thoughts the whole night.

She smiled and closed her eyes.

It didn't take a lot of convincing. She always did prefer to be naked. And it so happens, he sort of, kind of, maybe a little, liked being naked too.

She really, really hoped the first cupcake he buys is strawberry razzle dazzle.

-----

**One long year later.**

"Hey Neji, who're the cupcakes for?"

Said silver eyed man turned his head and spotted a familiar face. Lee stood outside the bakery, arm slung over Tenten's shoulder.

"Me." It was hard to sound so emotionless and callous nowadays, perhaps it was these annoying sweet tasting pastries that were making him soft.

"But Neji, you'll be ruining that youthful body of yours with the evil cupcake!"

"One of them is for me; the other is for a friend."

"Really? who is this mysterious friend of yours? You should introduce us so we may deduce if he or she is fit to be your companion!"

"Lee, be quiet and go back to your date."

Tenten giggled and dragged her boyfriend away.

As the couple walked away, the corners of his lips curled. And he promptly walked back to his house before any girls caught him smiling.

The place was empty, just the way he liked it. His uncle and cousins were out, and the all the maids and butlers were inside, busying themselves to notice Neji walking by with a pink box in hand. Making his way through the tiny garden, he found his usual spot near the lively stock of blooming freesia and sat down on a boulder. Opening the box, he took out a cupcake and grimaced. One whole year, and he was still not used to the sugar overdose.

One whole year, and she still hadn't showed up.

But he hoped, he tucked her promise away and hoped she would show up. At least, for one last time.

He was half way into biting into the cupcake when he felt a strong and dangerous presence behind him.

"Ew, what the hell is that?"

He smirked, "Blueberry dynamite."

"_Blueberry? Blueberry?!_ Of all the…why?!"

His heart was racing, and memories of that night at the park came flooding back. He wanted to jump up and take her in his arms, throw away those disgusting sweets she adored and just hold her.

"I've been doing you a favor for over a year, be grateful I didn't get you a muffin."

She pouted and grossed her arms, plopping down next to him.

"And here I wanted my grand entrance to be all fireworks and parades." She picked up a cupcake and proceeded to lick the frosting first.

"It can be."

Her lips curled, "We have the rest of the day, don't we?"

"Yes, we do." He dropped his cupcake, not even caring that each one cost him about seven dollars. Yes, they were that expensive because they were that good.

"What do you suppose we do then?"

Pretending to be deep in thought, he leaned back against the rock, "We could go and buy something you actually want to eat. Then go to the park."

"And what, stare into the sun?"

They finally turned to each other and it seemed time literally stopped. Neji had aged a year, his hair was a little longer and his skin a little darker. Sakura, however, looked exactly the same. Short, pink hair, viridian eyes, and obnoxious that smirk on her face.

"Don't look at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like I'm supposed to sparkle or something!" She grinned.

He stood up and extended his hand out to her. She gladly took it and began to circle him.

"Hyuga Neji, if I didn't know any better, I'd suspect you are trying to get me to French you again."

"I've been practicing."

She stopped, "Really?"

"No."

"You really need to get yourself a girlfriend, seriously."

"Maybe I do."

"So," She hooked her arm around his and pulled him through the garden, "Show me, human boy, what do humans like to do during the day time?"

**

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**

Yeah, kind of a rushed and stupid ending, but…its over!

**Ciao!**


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